Socket



March 3, 1936. A, J. FISCHER SOCKET Filed Nov. 18, 1950 Wye-rii Patented Mn. 3, 193e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE tinental-Diamond Fibre Compa Newark,

Del., a corporation oi' Delaware Application November 18, 1930, Serial No. 496,527 7 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) This invention relates to socket devices'in general, and, especially to radio tube socket devices, the object being to provide a highly efficint device of this'naturewhich is simple in construction, and which may be manufactured and assembled at `.low cost. A device of the kind contemplated by the invention readily lends itself to economiccommercial manufacture.

In accordance with the invention, I provide a mounting panel with aplurality of pairs of openings thereinjfor the reception of contact elements, which are adapted to engage the prongs of the radio tube or like device. The contact elements of the device' are preferably U-shaped and inverted, the depending sides thereof extending through the aforementioned openings. One of the sides of each contact element. is formed to provide an integral detent, while the other side of the element is formed to provide a plurality of biting edges, which are adapted to bite into the prongs of the radio'tube to, thereby provide a. good electrical contact. When the contact elements are inserted through the openings in the mounting` panel, the detent springs outward to firmly hold the elementin place, no rivets or other fastening means being necessary.

The manner in which the above object is obtained, as w'ell as the details of construction of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description and the .accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the assembled device of the invention having a radio tube in operative relation thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 with the radio tube removed to clarify the illustration;

Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the device of Fig. 1 with the radio tube removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofl one of the contact elements of the device;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the mounting Panel with a contact element mounted thereon, and showing clearly the details of the manner of assembly; and

Fig. 6 is a greatly exaggerated view showing the manner in which the biting edges of a contact element bite into a. prong of the radio tube.

Referring to the various iigures of the drawing, there is provided a. mounted panel or base I, which may take the usual form and which may be made of any suitable insulating material, as is customary in the art. lIn accordance with the invention, this mounting panel is cut to provide a plu- L rality of pairs of openingsZ and 3, in the present instance, five such pairs of openings being used to accommodate a. five-prong radio tube. Openings 2 may take the form of a. slit, while 5 openings 3, in addition to comprising a. slit opening 4, also comprise circular openings 5 for the reception of the tube prongs.

Associated with each pair of openings is acontact element designated generally by reference 10 character 6, and shown clearly in Fig. 4. IEach of these elements preferably takes the form of an inverted U. As shown clearly in Fig. 5, the depending sides of these elements are adapted to be inserted through the openings in the mounting 15 panel. It Vwill be apparent, therefore, that the top or seat part 1 of each element rests upon i the mounting panel. One of the depending sides 8 of each contact element is formed to provide an integral detent or tongue 9 (see Fig. 5). 20 Such detent may be formed by merely cuttingside 8 and bending the tongue slightly outwardly. Side 8 of each contact element may comprise at its lower end the usual lug having openings I0 to facilitate attaching conductors thereto. The 25 other depending side II of each contact element is formed to provide a plurality. of wing-like extensions having biting edges I2, in thev present instance, two such edges'being utilized. As shown clearly in Fig. 4, side II may be cut to provide a 30 pair of flaps, which may then be bent outward, as shown. Fig. 6 shows in greatly exaggerated fashion the manner in which the biting edges I2 ofa. contact element bite into the prong I3` of a radio tube. It will be noted that the extending 35 aps of side II are at such an angle with respect to the tube prong that the sharp edges of such aps are resiliently pressed against the prong of the tube. 'This is an important feature of the invention, since it is essential in such devices to 40 provide very good electrical contact between the socket elements and theprongs of the tube.

In assembling the device of the invention, the contact elementsare mounted on the mounting panel by inserting their depending sides through 45 the respective pairs of openings. Due to the resiliency of the detent member, it springs outward after having passed through slit opening 2, to engage the under side of the mounting panel and retain the socket velement firmly in position. 50 It will be apparent from Fig'. 5 that the contact, element can only be removed, after once having been attached to the mounting panel, by forcing detent 9 inward to allow the same to pass through slit opening 2. It will also be apparent that this 55 'edges for engaging said arrangement eliminates the necessity for any fastening means, such as rivets or the like. When the socket elements are in place, the biting edges l2 are in such position that upon the insertion of a radio tube, they firmly engage the same to provide the desired contact.

In connection with the device of the invention, I prefer to use a finder ring and protective shield I4 (see Figs. 1 and 2), although, it is to be understood that this element forms no part of the present invention. 'I'his finder ring takes the general form of the mounting panel, and is adapted to be secured thereto by means of the bolts or other fastening means which hold the mounting panel in place. The ring is provided with a central opening I5 which just exposes the openings 5 through which the prongs of the tube are inserted. The ring may be made of any suitable insulating material, such as the material from which the mounting panel is made. The central opening l5 serves as a guide for the insertion of the tube prongs in the device. At the same time, however, the iinder ring rests upon the upper portions 1 of the contact elements, thereby insulating the same and also assuring that such elements will be prevented from rising with respect to the mounted panel. The use of the ring is, of course, merely an optional procedure and it is not necessary in connection with the invention.

It will be apparent that I have provided a device which is very simple in construction compared to devices of the prior art. A very important feature of the device is the fact that no rivets or other fastening means are necessary. In consequence thereof, the device may be readily and quickly assembled after the component parts thereof have been manufactured. Furthermore, the component parts are of such a simple nature that they may be manufactured at low cost. As a result, the total `cost of manufacture of the device is relatively low compared to that of prior art devices.

It will be apparent. of course, that various changes and modifications in the details of construction of the device may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the disclosure herein is for the purpose of illustration only and imposes no limitation upon the invention.

I claim:

1. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, a mounting panel having one or more pairs of openings therein, and an inverted U-shaped tube prong contacting element for each said pair of.

openings, each said element having its depending sides extending through said openings, one of said sides being formed to provide a detent adapted to engage the underside of said panel, the other of said sides being formed to provide biting contact edges for engaging said tube prong.

2. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, a mounting panel having one or more pairs of openings therein, one of each said pair of openings being slit-like and the other comprising a communicating slit and tube prong receiving opening, a sheet metal` tube prong contacting element for each said pair of openings, said elements having fiat portions extending through said slits and firmly held thereby and biting tube prong, and detent means on said elements for attaching them to said panel.

3. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, a mounting panel having one or more pairs of openings therein, one of each said pair of openings being slit-like and the other comprising a communicating slit and tube prong receiving opening with the slit located at the side of the prong receiving opening nearest said slit-like opening, and a tube prong contacting element for each said pair of openings, each said contact element having a at seat portion resting against a face of said panel between a pair of openings and depending sides extending through said openings, the side extending through said other opening being freely extended beyond the other face of said panel and having a flat portion held by the slit and a tube prong engaging portion extending across the tube prong receiving opening, whereby the said freely depending side resiliently engages an inserted tube prong.

4. In a socket device for radio tubes or the like, a mounting panel having one or more pairs of openings therein, and an inverted U-shaped tube prong contacting element for each said pair of openings, each said element having its depending sides extending through said openings, o of said sides having a member extending angularly upward therefrom to the underside of said panel.

5. In an' electrical socket, the combination of upper and lower thin plates of insulation forming a base and having a plurality of aligned holes therein, a plurality of contact springs each formed of sheet metal and having a mounting portion positioned between said plates, said springs having contact making portions integral :t.

with the mounting portion and extending away from the base and terminals integral with the mounting portion and extending away from the base, protuberances on said terminals and adapted to be snapped in place beneath the lower base plate to hold said contact springs in place on said lower base plate until the upper base plate is applied and secured in place, and means for securing said upper and lower base plates together.

6. An electrical socket for radio tubes or the like, comprising a nat plate of insulation material provided with an aperture therein, a contact member having a portion extending through said aperture and adapted to contact with a cooperating vacuum tube prong when entered into said aperture, a seat portion on said member adapted to engage the upper side of said plate, and means on said member capable of snapping into place beneath said plate upon insertion of said member through said aperture and adapted to engage the under side of the plate to hold said contact from falling out of assembly with said plate.

7. An electrical socket for radio tubes or the y :1

like, comprising a iiat plate of insulation material provided with an aperture therein, a contact member having a portion extending through said aperture and adapted to contact with a cooperating vacuum tube prong when entered into said aperture, a seat portion on said member adapted.I

to engage the upper side of said plate, and a de-- tent member adapted to snap into place extend-l ing angularly upward from said contact member and engaging said plate on the under side to hold said contact from falling out of assembly with said plate.

ANDREW J. marciana. 

